Morons of the Internet: Medusa Magazine (Part 2)

This is the segment where I scour my favourite forums around the internet and find some particularly interesting articles about current affairs told in the words of my favourite human beings.

In this edition we're back for more shit from possibly the worst website in the world. This time they're writing irresponsible articles for self diagnosis, and as always it's in the name of social justice.
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https://medusamagazine.com/why-self-diagnoses-are-valid
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Let's quickly get this out the way: Unless you're a medical professional then trusting nothing but a self diagnosis is an incredibly stupid idea. Yeah you may have read some articles on the internet that claim to know everything, but even if you have convinced yourself you should probably seek professional help from people who know what they're talking about, especially if the symptoms in question are serious. The repercussions of serious medical conditions being misdiagnosed and consequently mistreated can ruin people's lives, and possibly even end them. I understand that this article is focusing on diagnosing mental conditions, but these illnesses should still be dealt with responsibly by medical professionals. People should absolutely be treated with skepticism if they've just made up illnesses out of their own sheer ignorance. Especially people that barely have the knowledge to write coherent articles.

In the style of this article I will also say that I'm a white cisgendered man. Can you imagine anything worse? Thankfully for me the objective field of medicine doesn't give a fuck about my background so it's entirely irrelevant to even mention your ethnicity or sexual orientation in this discussion. Just this little remark alone is enough to warn me that this is going to be an argument based on feelings rather than facts. I suppose that's a bit like the topic of self diagnosis.

The article itself begins with some deep shit. I am curious as to how often this innate fear of men raising their fists has arisen in the past. Unless you're part of a black power rally or like a bit of fisting then I can't imagine a scenario where that would affect your everyday life. Your brother may well have hit you as a child, which I'm assuming was just playfighting like the majority of kids do, but that doesn't instantly mean you have a certain condition. Symptoms vary with each patient, which is why a medical professional is a far more accurate source. You may not be trying to be unique or special, but you are being misled by a philosophy that doesn't value correct medical examinations.

Just because people can't afford treatment doesn't instantly validate a pseudoscience. Funnily enough you're financial status does not have an effect on your ability to accurately diagnose medical conditions. It's all well and good if you did do research into your ailments, but that line of argument is based on the assumption that these individuals can interpret scientific literature to accurately diagnose themselves, which is a rarity, and only a skill really applied at degree level. This is the reason why doctors need degrees. Possibly an even bigger assumption you're making is that everyone does this research, or has the available resources to in the first place. You clearly haven't researched this topic, you're just rambling about feelings, so how can you put your faith in others to source accurate and relevant information? However it doesn't actually matter that this point is based on huge assumptions because it doesn't validate your argument in any way.

Again, having a fear of doctors does not instantly validate your assumptions. It's then another thing to make the astounding generalisation that the majority of doctors are racist and sexist males. How dare these doctors that diagnose people to make them better not have the same moral ideas as some embittered feminist that spurts shit on the internet. Yeah it's definitely you, and not doctors, that embody a paragon of virtue. What a fucking scumbag you are to make that sort of slanderous accusation without even providing any evidence. Seriously, fuck you.

And actually, yes I do want to go to be given the all clear by doctors. What a fucking relief that would be if I had convinced myself I had cancer and the doctor gave me the all clear. What fucking world are you living in where it's suddenly a disappointment to not be diagnosed with serious medical conditions?

Yes you do have a good idea of your current condition, that's why you verbally tell the doctor so they can make an accurate diagnosis. Again, if you're unable to speak that does not instantly validate a pseudoscience. Even if you can't speak to doctors there are still going to be symptoms that the body can express for you without opening your mouth. A suddenly changing mole for instance is a good indicator of cancer, which a doctor would use to construct an accurate diagnosis. Just because a doctor doesn't come to the same conclusions as you doesn't instantly make them incorrect. I'm fucking sick of this self centered and flat out ignorant attitude that you know your medical conditions better than a doctor. This irresponsible and arrogant attitude has had lethal consequences in the past. You ever wonder why Steve Jobs isn't around anymore? It's because he pulled shit like this.

You do realise that diagnosing medical conditions doesn't eradicate them right? Even if you do identify symptoms better than the doctor they still need to be treated effectively, otherwise you end up being a whinging feminist on the internet. Clearly this article shows a lack of understanding on the scientific aspects in this argument, which can be exemplified with the absolute bollocks this writer knows about autism. More men are diagnosed with autism, but where's the evidence that women are failing to be diagnosed? There are many tests that are designed to diagnose autism, and these are used by both sexes, as funnily enough the traits that doctors use for diagnosing autism are not mutually exclusive to the male psyche.

Of course doctors make errors, they're human. They do however make a hell of a lot less mistakes than your uniformed mind because they're medical professionals. This is why they will often refer you to tests to prove their diagnosis, because unlike your argument doctors rely on testing the validity of predictions, and not guesswork. Again, THIS POINT DOES NOT MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT ANY MORE VALID. It's a bit like advocating that skydivers shouldn't need parachutes because in the past they have sometimes failed to open. And that point about capitalism can fuck off. Do you genuinely think the majority of doctors care more about their bank accounts than the wellbeing of their patients? Somehow I don't imagine it's the system of capitalism that's at fault for thinking your more entitled to diagnose your ailments than doctors.

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK. Are you seriously saying that it's more beneficial to validate inaccurate statements than objective facts? Only someone who wrote an article this stupid could make this kind of moronic argument. Do you have any idea how dangerous a misdiagnosis can be? In this paragraph you are literally advocating that people should just give diagnosing serious conditions a try. And hey, if you die that's okay, because it may have worked for someone else. Surely if helping the most amount of people is the argument then why not suggest they get their asses down to a doctor's surgery. Rejecting an unprofessional diagnosis certainly does not perpetuate the idea that mental illnesses aren't valid. Surely it would be accepting the words of unqualified morons that would invalidate mental health issues.

What a fucking awful article. It provides no evidence as to why a self diagnosis is valid, only providing weak arguments based on feelings alone. At absolutely no point is there proof of any form that this field clearly promoted by imbeciles is in any way valid. This woman is living in complete denial. This article only proves that there is a ton of stupid shit on the internet, so trusting everything you read is a good way to get yourself into some serious trouble. In a nutshell that's precisely why self diagnosis is so harmful to be supporting. But the worst crime committed is this tone of glorifying mental conditions. It's not a badge of honor when you think you have cancer or depression. Treatment is then another matter which this article just completely forgets about. It's not like treating illnesses is important is it? No, it's solely the diagnosing that's important. Who are you going to ignorantly  lecture on the internet if you can't take the moral high ground when discussing mental illnesses? What a scummy attitude. What a scummy article.